John Singleton Involved in Fatal Car Accident

The Associated Press is reporting that producer, director and all around pretty cool guy John Singleton was driving a Lexus SUV when it struck and killed a jaywalker who stepped in front of the car, police said Friday.

Singleton, 39, immediately stopped his car and waited for police to arrive after the accident Thursday night in the city's Jefferson Park neighborhood, said Officer Jason Lee, a police spokesman.

"Mr. Singleton stopped and identified himself as required by law and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol," Lee said. "He was questioned and released."

The woman was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead Friday morning, Lee said. She was identified as Constance Russell, 57, of Los Angeles.

Sadly, this is the first time in a long time we have heard anything from Singleton. He's currently in pre-production for "Tulia" staring Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. The film is about an Indian-born law graduate who took on the town of Tulia Texas, where 10 percent of its African-American population was arrested in a drug bust case in 1999, based on the sole testimony of under-cover narcotics agent Thomas Coleman.

Naturally, there was no immediate word from the Singleton camp about the accident, but expect the typical, "Deeply saddened by the tragic events that occured" press release shortly.